


Uncle Dean: Adventures in Babysitting

by canadduh



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean Winchester is a good Uncle, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kid!Fic, M/M, Parent Sam Winchester, Uncle Castiel, Uncle Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-23 04:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16612160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canadduh/pseuds/canadduh
Summary: Dean has always looked after his brother Sammy. So it was really easy to extend that care to his brother's kid. Dean watches his nephew while Sam spends five hours on self-care for the first time since the death of his wife almost six months ago.Dean and Cas talk about the future.





	Uncle Dean: Adventures in Babysitting

The fact of the matter is that sometimes, kids cry for no goddamned reason.

Or at least he hoped it was no goddamned reason, otherwise, he was completely lost.

The kid was fed, watered, recently changed, and had been sleeping a majority of the day. He’d taken care of his usual suspects and now had no idea what he should be doing.

Dean tried to think of what he’d done for Sammy when his younger brother wouldn’t stop crying, but John was usually there to take care of those moments. He tried to sing to the kid but the crying only got louder.

“I know, I know,” Dean rumbled, patting his nephew on the back, “I ain’t got the best voice, but it’s the only voice you got right now.”

He tried playing music on his phone with the same result. So maybe it wasn’t Dean’s voice after all?

With Metallica playing in the background to soothe his own frayed nerves Dean bounced around the living room, sushing the crying child. He really didn’t want to call Sam. It was his brothers first night out since Gabey had been born. His first time out since Jess had died.

He could do this.

“Okay, Gabriel Dean,” he said softly but firm, a burst of pride rocking through him as he kissed his namesake on the head, “let’s get you sorted out then we’ll both go for a nap, how’s that sound?”

Dean remembered holding Cas when Jess had told them what they were naming the kid. Castiel’s older brother, Gabriel, had died of cancer two months after Sam and Jess had gotten engaged. The five of them had grown up together, Gabe being a leader of sorts for their cohort. He’d kept them together when Mary, Sam and Dean’s mom, had died ten years ago.

He continued to rock his nephew as he searched for a clean pacifier in hopes of it working this time. The last one still lay where it had fallen in front of the TV when Gabey had thrown it.

“Come on, Buttercup,” Dean urged, sighing when the kid spat the pacifier back out.

He checked Gabey’s temperature again, noting that it was now at 99 and sighed. He suddenly remembered his friend Garth, a string bean of a man with a heart of gold, talking about his daughter’s teething phase at work. Dean felt along Gabe’s gum after rinsing his hands in the kitchen sink and winced at the sharp cut of the new tooth.

“Alright,” Dean nodded, “this I can do.”  
He put a fresh pacifier in the freezer to cool it down before moving back to the living room to grab his phone. Dean pulled up the call app and pressed one before hitting dial.

“Dean?” The rough voice on the other end immediately soothed Dean and he couldn’t help but smile, even though Gabey was still crying directly into his other ear. He knew Cas could hear it, “what’s wrong? Is Gabey okay?”

“He’s fine, Cas,” Dean assured, sticking a finger into Gabe’s mouth for the kid to teeth on for a moment, smiling that something had finally, finally, worked, “he’s started teething and we don’t have baby Tylenol at the house.”

“Okay,” Cas said after a moment, “I’ll pick some up on my way home, I should be there by six.”

“Thanks, Cas,” Dean sighed, “could you also get some-”

“I’ll get some pie, Dean,” Cas assured. Dean knew that the other man was smiling.

“You’re a lifesaver.”

Cas chuckled, “I’ll be home around seven. Can you handle this for that long?”

Dean laughed as he pulled the pacifier back out of the freezer and stuck it in Gabe’s mouth. He couldn’t help but kiss the kid at the sigh he let out.

“I raised Sammy through his teething phase, Cas,” Dean reminded his husband, “I’ll be just fine.”

“Alright, love you, see you soon.”

“See you soon,” Dean replied before hanging up the phone and letting Metallica start again.

Gabey was now resting his head against Dean’s shoulder, his eyes fluttering as he fought off sleep. Dean kissed him on the forehead before settling down on the couch, throwing a blanket over them so it rested halfway down Gabey’s back.

“Sleep tight, kiddo.”

* * *

He woke up to his phone ringing twenty minutes later, shaking his head when he saw that it was Sam.

“Hey, brother,” Dean greeted. He rested a hand on Gabey’s back, glad that the boy was still sleeping.

“Hey Dean,” Sam greeted, his voice stressed, “how’s Gabey?”

“He’s doing fine, Sammy,” Dean assured his brother gently. It had taken Sam six months to get to this point, being able to leave Gabey alone for five hours. Sam had dropped Gabey off at five before heading to a spa. He was supposed to be getting dinner with a few friends after. Sam had been calling every hour on the hour since he left. “He’s teething but I’ve got it covered alright. Cas is bringing Tylenol and he’s sleeping right now.”

“I can-”

“No, Sam,” Dean said, more harshly than he intended, he cleared his throat before continuing, “What I mean is, you really don’t have to, Sam. You know I love spending time with my nephew and Cas does as well. He’s gonna be home soon with the Tylenol and then he’ll put Gabey to bed. You’ll be back in a couple hours and then you’ll sleep in the nursery with Gabey. We’ll be fine. We all know you needed a this, Sammy. It’s a big step and I’m super proud of you.”

He could hear Sam thinking and pictured his brother running a hand through his frankly ridiculously long hair. Dean smiled at the image while he allowed Sam to think it through.

“If you need to come back, though,” Dean continued after a moment, “no one will think any less of you.”

“Okay,” Sam breathed out, “okay, I’ll call you in an hour. Thanks, Dean.”

“Bye bit,” Dean said, knowing it would make Sam laugh. Dean had started censoring himself as soon as they found out Jess was pregnant.

Dean glanced down at Gabey once Sam had hung up and smiled at the same grey eyes that Jess had had. He felt a pang of sadness at the thought of his sister-in-law and closed his eyes briefly before hugging Gabey just a little bit tighter to him.

Their small family had been through a lot in the past few years but Dean was forever grateful for Gabey coming into their lives. Dean’s not sure any of them would have made it through losing Jess in that car accident if it hadn’t been for the tiny human Dean had cuddled to his chest.

Dean got up to change Gabey’s diaper and put a new pacifier in the freezer. He didn’t take the one Gabey was using back, instead, he waited for the boy to throw it. He took the quite moments to clean up the living room one handed. He made sure none of Gabey’s toys were laying around and put everything back where it belonged.

Still using one hand, Dean put a pot on the stove to boil. He and Cas had decided on pasta for dinner that night since it was quick and easy. Dean was just starting the dishwasher when he heard the front door open.

Dean grinned and brought Gabey to the hall to greet his other uncle. He could feel the love he held for the other man pulsing in his chest and he couldn’t help but tell him how he felt.

“I love you,” Dean greeted allowing the dark-haired man to take Gabey from him and laughing at the quizzical look “just thought you should know.”

Cas smiled and kissed Dean on the forehead before handing him the grocery bag. Dean accepted it and brought it to the kitchen, pulling out the Tylenol first and checking the dosage. He pulled up a milliliter of the liquid, making sure it was measured perfectly and handed it to Cas.

Dean winced at the cry coming from his nephew when Cas pulled the pacifier out. Cas looked at him helplessly while Gabey refused to take the medicine, shaking his head from side to side.

Watching Cas with Gabeywas one of Dean’s favorite activities but he knew that Cas was at a loss here. Until Gabey had come into their lives Cas’ only interaction with children had been Sam but Cas had been a child then as well.

“Hand me that, please,” Dean requested, holding his hand out for the syringe, “I know this seems cruel, but I need you to hold his mouth open.”

Cas hesitated for a moment before relenting and doing as Dean asked. Dean kissed Gabey on the head before putting the syringe in the kid's mouth, by his cheek, and pushing the liquid out. Cas let go when Dean pulled back and they grinned at each other when Gabey swallowed the liquid down.

Dean pulled the second, or fourth, pacifier out of the freezer and handed it to Cas when Gabey started screaming again. He turned to the stove after to put the pasta in the boiling water.

The room was quiet as Dean worked, getting started on the sauce. He and Cas had decided to cut back on meat recently so Dean fried up some mushrooms and onions for the sauce before adding garlic powder. He dumped in the can of tomato sauce before turning to watch his husband coo at their nephew.

“You look good with a baby in your arms,” Dean remarked, a soft smile on his lips.

“As do you,” Cas said, standing up and kissing Dean on the forehead again, “when did this one eat last?”

“Around five,” Dean said, glancing at the clock, “he’s about due for another bottle if he’s hungry.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Cas assured, kissing Dean on the lips before pulling a bottle out of the fridge and heating it up in the microwave, “we’ll be in the living room.”

“Alright babe,” Dean grinned, turning back to the food.

He had just finished up when Cas was back with Gabey. Dean had set the table while the food was cooking so all they had to do was put Gabey to bed before the two of them could eat.

“Y’know, we’re pretty lucky with this kid,” Dean remarked, “most babies would still be crying their heads off at this point.”

Cas chuckled, “you’re very right,” He kissed Gabey on the forehead, “we’re very lucky with this kid.”

Dean watched as Cas sang to Gabey, his voice a deep soothing rumble that threatened to put Dean to sleep as well. He grinned at his husband, eyes soft when the (barely) older man looked at him.

Dinner is a quiet affair, as it usually is with the two of them. Cas tells Dean about his day and Dean fills in Cas on his plans for tomorrow. Which are to help Sam with Gabey and finally fix the fencing that was knocked down in the storm a few weeks back.

“So I was thinking,” Dean hedged, suddenly nervous. He’d been wanting to talk to Cas about this for a while but Sammy had needed their support.

“Yes, Dean?” Cas asked when Dean didn’t continue.

“I’vebeenthinkingthatweshouldadoptababygirl,” Dean gets out as fast as he can before he loses the nerve again.

Cas was silent for a moment and Dean really hoped that Cas had caught what he’d said. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to repeat himself.

“And how long have you been thinking this,” Cas asked gently, grabbing Dean’s hand from where it sat on the table and running his thumb over the knuckles.

“Uh, since before Gabey was born,” Dean said after a moment, “I was going to bring it up but then…”

Cas was smiling softly at Dean and he felt something in his stomach loosen. He hadn’t been able to figure out why he was anxious. He and Cas had talked about children back when they first started dating in high school. He knew Cas wanted kids, even if the man had been nervous about them.

“And we should name her Jessica Mary,” Dean smiled through the tears in his eyes, knowing that Cas would love the name just as much as Dean did.

Cas pulled Dean into a hug, tears running down both their faces now.

“Oh, Dean,” Cas says a few minutes later, once they’ve both calmed down some, “I love her already.”


End file.
